Despite widespread complaints of poor service quality, including unstable connectivity, failed top-ups, and fast data depletion, data consumption in Nigeria has continued to climb.
According to the latest subscription statistics released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), data usage rose from 1,131,255.90 terabytes in July to 1,152,347.24 terabytes in August. Internet subscriptions across GSM, Fixed Wired, Wireless, and VoIP services also increased from 138.7 million to 140.3 million during the period.
Unlike previous months, August recorded a rebound in telephone line activations and reactivations, as operators unwrapped 2.24 million new lines. This pushed the number of active telephone lines from 169.3 million in July to 171.5 million in August—the biggest jump since the Federal Government approved a 50 per cent tariff hike in January.
Airtel led the growth, gaining 1.5 million new subscriptions to reach 58 million active lines. MTN, the country’s largest operator, added 499,540 subscriptions, bringing its total to 89.6 million. Globacom followed with 173,244 new connections, rising to 20.9 million. However, T2 (formerly 9mobile) recorded no growth, maintaining 2.7 million active lines.
With these new activations, Nigeria’s teledensity rose from 78.11 per cent in July to 79.14 per cent in August. Teledensity measures the number of active telephone connections per 100 people, reflecting access to telecom services.
Broadband penetration also inched upward, moving from 48.01 per cent in July to 48.81 per cent in August. However, the country remains 21.19 per cent short of its 70 per cent broadband penetration target set for December 2025 under the National Broadband Plan.
Meanwhile, a separate report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) projects Africa’s payments revenue to reach $19 billion by 2029, driven by real-time payments and digital innovation. Globally, payments revenue is expected to grow to $2.4 trillion, with technologies such as agentic AI, digital currencies, and fintech reshaping the financial services landscape.
